PubMed · 9838927
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D B McClelland. Treating a sick process.. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1537-2995.1998.38111299056306.x
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We have investigated the regulatory role of DNA methylation in the expression of the human histo-blood group ABO genes. The ABO gene promoter region contains a CpG island whose methylation status correlates well with gene expression in the cell lines tested. The CpG island was found hypomethylated in some cell lines that expressed ABO genes, whereas the other cell lines that did not express ABO genes were hypermethylated. Whereas constitutive transcriptional activity of the ABO gene promoter was demonstrated in both expressor and nonexpressor cell lines by transient transfection of reporter constructs containing the ABO gene promoter sequence, HhaI methylase-catalyzed in vitro methylation of the promoter region prior to DNA transfection suppressed the promoter activity when introduced into the expressor gastric cancer cell line KATOIII cells. On the other hand, in the nonexpressor gastric cancer cell line MKN28 cells, treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine resulted in demethylation of the ABO gene promoter and appearance of A-transferase messages, as well as A-antigens synthesized by A-transferase. Taken together, these studies suggest that DNA methylation of the ABO gene promoter may play an important role in the regulation of ABO gene expression.
Three areas of research involved in blood group (or histo-blood group) ABO antigens and their genes, developed by our research group, are reviewed: (1) Antigen structures. The structural basis of A and H, A(1) and A(2), i and I antigens expressed in erythrocyte membranes. Major carriers of A and H determinants in erythrocytes are type 2 chain poly-LacNAc, short vs. long and unbranched vs. branched structures termed A(a), A(b), A(c), A(d) and H(1), H(2), H(3), H(4). Regular A (A(1)) and weak A (A(2)) were identified respectively as repetitive A (type 3 chain A) and A-associated H. A(1)- and A(2)-specific type 3 chain A and H, type 1 chain (representing Lewis blood group antigens), and type 4 chain (globo-series antigen; an extremely minor component in erythrocytes) are all glycosphingolipids. A and H determinants in fetal and newborn erythrocytes are carried by unbranched poly-LacNAc, whereas these determinants in adult erythrocytes are carried by branched poly-LacNAc. (2) ABO genes. A few cDNAs encoding A enzyme (UDP-GalNAc: H-a-GalNAc transferase) were cloned based on the amino acid sequence of purified A enzyme and their structures were compared with those of homologous cDNA from blood cells of B and O individuals (genotype BB, OO). Four nucleotide substitutions and four corresponding amino acid sequences essential for expression of A(1) allele and B allele, and differences between A and B enzymes, were identified. Amino acids 266 and 268, i.e. Leu and Gly for A enzyme vs. Met and Ala for B enzyme, were dominant in determining A vs. B activity (presumably recognizing UDP-GalNAc vs. UDP-Gal). The A(2) allele was characterized by deletion of the termination codon, extending nucleotides up to 1128 and thus encoding 21 extra amino acids at the C terminus, which may affect (diminish) the dominant function of amino acids 266 and 268. Typical O allele (O(1)) is characterized by deletion of nucleotide 261 G, causing frame shift and encoding of an entirely different, short polypeptide, due to appearance of early termination codon at nucleotide 354. Structures of other O alleles (O(1 v), O(2)) and other weak A alleles (A(3), A(el)) are also described. The genomic structure of ABO genes consists of seven exons which span approximately 19 kb of genomic DNA on chromosome 9, band q34. Most of the coding sequence is located in exon 7. Analysis of the 5' upstream region revealed the presence of the binding site for transcription factors and enhancer element. (3) Antigens and genes in cancer. A and B phenotypes aberrantly expressed in various types of human cancer, and their genetic basis, have been studied. One widely-occurring change observed in a large variety of human cancers is deletion of A or B epitope, associated with accumulation of their precursor H (Le(y), Le(b)), which causes enhanced malignancy. A less-commonly observed change is expression of incompatible A, identified as real type 1 chain A, in tumors of O or B individuals. A possible molecular genetic mechanism leading to such phenotypic changes is discussed.
von Willebrand factor (vWF) is synthesized exclusively by endothelial cells and megakaryocytes, and stored in the intracellular granules or constitutively secreted into plasma. ABO blood group antigens are covalently associated with asparagine-linked sugar chains of plasma vWF. The effect of ABO-mismatched bone marrow transplantation (BMT) or blood stem cell transplantation (BSCT) on the expression of ABO blood group antigens on the vWF was examined to obtain information on the origin of these antigens. In ABO-mismatched (HLA-matched) groups, 8 cases of BMT and 4 cases of BSCT were examined. In all cases, the ABO blood groups on red blood cells were gradually converted to the donor's type within 80 to 90 days after the transplantation. The blood group antigens on the vWF were consistent with the recipient's blood group for the period monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). When vWF was isolated from normal platelets and examined for the blood group antigens using ELISA or immunoblotting, it showed few antigens. However, vWF extracted from veins expressed blood group antigens. These findings indicate that platelet (megakaryocyte)-derived vWF does not contain blood group antigens and that these antigens may be specifically associated with vWF synthesized in endothelial cells and secreted into plasma. Furthermore, it is possible that the persistence of the recipient's blood group antigens on plasma glycoproteins such as vWF, independent of the donor-derived erythrocytes, after ABO-mismatched stem cell transplantation, may influence the immunological system in the production of anti-blood group antibodies resulting in the establishment of immunological tolerance in the recipient plasma.